A Christmas Carol for Naruto
by XoStarcicleoX
Summary: It's never too late for the holidays! Naruto has always hated Christmas. There's too much happiness! So four ghosts will help him see the joy of the holiday! NaruHina
1. Chapter 1

**Hi there! This is _A Christmas Carol for Naruto,_ because it's never too late for the holidays!  
I created this story so I can have some quick few breaks from _Gone, _the other story I made. If you don't know that one, you should go check it out in my profile!  
It's not that I don't like writing it, I do, but sometimes I need to think about something else so I can have more inspiration, get it?  
Okay, I'm rambling on about things that I don't want to ramble on, so let's get on with the story!  
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto; A Christmas Carol belongs to Charles Dickens**

**One quick note: Since this story is just a quick get-away, I might not continue it. Sometimes I lose the inspiration, sorry!  
But if I get some reviews, I might continue it.**

* * *

Minato Namikaze was dead, to begin with.

So he left his business to his son, who was into business like himself, although, maybe even a bit more.

His son's name was Naruto Uzumaki, and yes, they have different last names. His last name came from his mother, Kushina Uzumaki, who died shortly after he was born. So being a single dad, he taught his young boy everything he knew. And what he knew was mostly business stuff, so he taught him how to subtract money to get change. There was how to save money, how to make a bank account, withdraw, I=PRT, and a lot of other things. Minato's favorite that he taught his son was how to get customers to come to your store. He's been teaching stuff like this to him since he was six. Every day after school, Naruto would go straight home, eager to start another lesson with his father. He liked this business talk.

Now it's been 20 years, and Naruto is a young 26-year-old bachelor. He's also a very young business man. He now owns Foxy Toys...alone. He has many staff members (about his age) who, at first, liked his leader qualities, but then soon got tired of his bossy attitude. All, that is, except for one.

* * *

"M-Merry Christmas, Mr. Uzumaki!" cried Hinata Hyuga as she shyly handed her boss a small box neatly wrapped with blue wrapper covered in snowflakes. Mr. Uzumaki snatched the present.

"Tch," he said to her. "Whatever." He was wearing a navy blue today on Christmas Eve. He always liked dark colors. Tomorrow, he was going to wear black for Christmas. He always wears black for Christmas. He never really liked Christmas.

Hinata was wearing her favorite lavender T-shirt with white sleeves and trimming on the bottom of the shirt. Over that was the red-orange vest that all the employees wear. On the back of the vest it had Foxy Toys on top and "May I Help You?" or "I'm Here to Help!" underneath it. The Foxy Toys logo had "Foxy" in boxed capital letters. The "F" is slightly slanted to the right. Coming out on the left side of the "F" is an orange plushie fox. Right under "Foxy" was "Toys". The "Toys" part was also all capitals. The "T" was a flashlight pointing up, the "O" was a car wheel, "Y" is the touchdown goal in football, and the "S" is a snake. Minato designed the logo himself. That's one of the things Naruto always brags about.

"Oh, um, okay." Hinata was always shy around her boss, and other people, but mostly her boss. Since she was little, she's always like the Foxy Toys store. She liked their mascot, Foxy, who sometimes come over to the store. He looked like the plushie fox at the "F". At first, Hinata was afraid of him, but soon she had grown to like him. Even when she's now 25 and knows Foxy isn't real, she still likes him. When Foxy comes for the Christmas Special at Foxy Toys, Hinata is always one of the first to volunteer to help set up. It's because that she liked the store so much that she decided to work here. She started working a couple years after Minato's death, and a couple years after Naruto started taking over. She'll never forget the first time they met. They shook hands as a greeting, and Hinata felt a little spark. When he smiled at her and her heart skipped a beat, she knew what that spark meant.

It was a nice morning, the sun shining brightly. The store was just about to open. She was in his office, standing at the very spot where she stood three years ago: in front of his desk. Naruto was also in his same spot, but three years ago, he was standing. Now, he just grabbed the present and set it next to his paperwork without even looking up from his work. When Naruto noticed she was still standing in his office, that's when he looked up at her. She was smiling kindly at him, but again shyly. He hated it when she began to feel shy. He let out an exasperated sigh. "You may leave," he said to her.

Hinata's smile slowly disappeared, her boss not noticing as he was back to his paperwork. This was the first time she ever gave a present to Naruto, but he didn't say anything. Just a "You may leave." It hurt. Hoping to cover up her sadness, she smiled another smile (though not as meaningful as the last) and bowed her head. She turned to leave, but then Naruto called after her. With hope filling up her heart, she turned around. "Don't forget to tell the other employees that they're still working tomorrow." Her heart dumped it all out.

"Of...Of course," she replied. Then she closed the office door. She stayed there for a while in case he called out again, but he said nothing, so she walked away to start the morning.

* * *

There were two stories in Foxy Toys, an upgrade Minato made the year before he died. The building was very fancy; the whole front was made of glass so the children can see the toys inside. It was huge, too. Inside it's noisy, because you can hear all the children playing. There was a children's area both upstairs and downstairs. During the week of Christmas, Foxy comes for two days, then comes on Chrismtas Eve. Those days are the always the busiest.

"Ugh, now I know why Mr. Uzumaki hates Christmas Eve," Shikamaru said as he stood leaning on the gate. Instead of a Santa Claus, Foxy Toys would have Foxy be the Santa Claus and do games that will get kids prizes if they won.

"Aw, lighten up, Shikamaru!" Kiba punched his friend's shoulder lightly. "It's just a few hundred screaming kids!"

"Yeah, but you don't have to be Santa Foxy's Helper Elf!" He was wearing a green elf hat with fake pointed ears. At the end of the hat was a bell. He wore a red dress-like shirt with long sleeves, and green tights. The shirt was full of glitter.

Kiba was next to his friend, but he was on the other side of the gate. The gate that separated them was the gate that separated the store with Foxy's WinterWonderland, where all the games were hosted. It was at the back of the store - the biggest part of the store. "Okay, but at least you don't have to wear this reindeer headband that lights up!" he replied as he put on his costume. "For a guy who hates Christmas, he sure does a lot of Christmas-y things!"

A snowball made out of fake snow hit Shikamaru's arm. The snow was made out of these dry flakes that when you wet it, it grows to make it look and feel like snow. The lazy employee looked over at who threw it, not that he cared. Some young boys laughed and pointed at him. Shikamaru even heard the word "Dork" coming from one of them. He sighed again.

* * *

Tenten and Hinata were the elves who helped Foxy control the kids. Tenten was at the front because she's the one with the loud voice. Hinata are with the kids in the back. Usually these were the kids that are shy like her, so they're easy to take care of. When Foxy told the girls (in a muffled voice) that he can take the kids now, she and Tenten walked over to the side. They saw Shikamaru and Kiba talking to each other across from their side.

"So he didn't even mutter a thanks?" Tenten asked. Hinata shook her head. "THAT JERK!"

"Ah, Tenten!" Hinata put her index finger to her lips. Sometimes her friend can lose her temper and start to shout. People were already staring at their direction.

"Oh, sorry," Tenten apologized. She was getting better at controling her anger, but sometimes she forgets. "But seriously, he should show his appreciation! It's not every day he gets a present from a cute girl like you!"

Hinata blushed deep red, to which Tenten laughed at (a friendly laugh).

* * *

Neji couldn't keep the two kids from screaming. Ugh, why did he have to get _this _job! His job was being one of the watchers on the second floor children's area.

"Ino, a little help here!" he cried over to his partner.

Ino looked up from the magazine she was reading from. "Oh right!" She got up from the couch and walked over to the two 5-year-olds. They were playing Tug-O-War with a stuffed Santa Foxy.

"I saw it first!"

"No, _I _did!"

Ino crouched down to the level of the little kids. "Hey, hey, look what I've got!" Out from behind her she pulled out another Santa Foxy. "Now one of you gets this one, and the other gets this." She gently took the now pulled apart Foxy. "On second thought, I'll get you another one." She ran over to the place where the Santa Foxy plushies were supposed to be, but it looked like she took the last one.

Neji saw this. He let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll get more from the back."

The only problem was that "the back" was all they way down on the first floor, and he wasn't allowed to go on the escalator.

* * *

Shino just wanted the day to end. He wanted the store to close already.

He watched as Neji got out of the back room carrying a box. Now he has to climb back upstairs. Well, at least he wasn't working on the second floor. Instead, he's on the first floor of children's area as one of the watchers. His partner was Choji.

Choji was sitting on the couch that was in the first floor children's area eating one of his many bags of chips. He just couldn't wait for a lunch break.

Nothing much happened on the first floor. It was because Santa Foxy was here also. If the parents brought their kids over to Foxy Toys just for a quick shopping, and they have no time to let their kids play, then they would send them off in the nearest children's area, which was of course on the first floor. But then the kids have a good view from there of Foxy's WinterWonderland and all the children having fun, so they go to the second floor.

Only when it's not Foxy coming over that they actually get to _watch _kids.

No kid was at the first floor children's area, so they watched the kids from WinterWonderland. Shino saw Kiba walk back over to his job. His job was next to Shikamaru's. While Shikamaru is Foxy's helper, Kiba is at the gift shop. The gift shop holds things that are _not _toys. The rest of the store is full of smaller sections controlled by other staff that are filled with toys.

Those toys usually disappear around November and December.

* * *

Night.

It was time for the Foxy Toys employee members to go home. Foxy took off his mask to reveal a man with black hair and paper-pale skin.

"Isn't it hot in there, Sai?" Tenten asked as she helped him take off the big head.

"Very," he answered.

Hinata and Shikamaru (who had changed back to their regular clothes) were picking up trash left by the kids.

Kiba was making sure all the snowglobes were still round, the keychains still have chains, and the clothes weren't ripped. Then he closed his shop.

Neji and Ino walked down the escalator (which was off) after a long, busy day.

Shino and Choji, out of boredom, checked to make sure everything was still in order, even if they knew that nothing but the wind touched them.

After everything was set, they gathered around the center of the shop. They were discussing how to greet Naruto. Should they greet him at all?

Before they could decide, Naruto came out of his office. They watched him as he walked over towards them. His office was next to the first floor children's area, but there was a thick enough wall that separated between them so he couldn't hear the kids' shouts. "What are you still doing here?" he asked in an angry but tired voice.

"We wanted to greet you a Merry Christmas!" Tenten was brave enough to answer. "So, uh, Merry Christmas!" All the employees (who cared) smiled at their boss. All of them quietly greeted him. Hinata's was softer than usual.

Naruto still had on a face that matched his voice. "Tch," he said. "Whatever."

With that, he walked to the front of the store, opened the glass doors, and then stepped outside.

* * *

**Another note: I'm sure that there have been many Christmas Carol Naruto's and Sasuke's, and I'm just one of them.  
But I've never read a single one, so I don't know what's happening in the other stories. If I've copied a plot or situation, I HAD NO IDEA!  
Just tell me in your reviews and I will fix it as soon as I can.**

**Sasuke was my original Scrooge, but at the end, I couldn't see him as that happy "I love Christmas, now!" guy, so I chose Naruto.  
Also, this chapter was a bit rushed, so it may not sound good. But please stick around for more! I'll try to get better!  
If the chapter made no sense, it's because I was just rambling on and on about things. Please tell me in a review.**

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, last chapter I talked about the staff.  
This chapter will be about Naruto.  
I find it hard to remember that Naruto is young. Scrooge is old and stuff, so I keep thinking Naruto is old.  
If you spot something that you think young people don't do, then note me.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or A Christmas Carol**

**If you have a better "Bah, humbug!" than "Tch, whatever!" please tell me! '-_-**

* * *

"Well that was rude."

The staff of Foxy Toys watched their boss walk out of the store.

"But at least it was less cold than last year," Kiba commented.

After a few more minutes, they greeted each other with warm greetings and soon, got prepared to leave.

They grabbed their coats and jackets from their rooms in the back. Then all hurried out to the cold snow that covered the sidewalk and city.

* * *

He walked slowly back to his home. He was very eager to go home. Tomorrow was Christmas, and that day will be very busy. He couldn't let his staff have a day off on the busiest day of the year.

With his big heavy coat, Naruto walked up the small stairs that led up to his door. He fumbled with his keys, not seeing in the dark, and when he finally found it opened the heavy door.

His house was big, very big. It was one of those houses where if you shout, you'll hear many voices echoing back to you.

Naruto didn't have any servants; he didn't want people disturbing him all the time. So he was alone as he placed his thick coat on the coat rack and walked into the kitchen.

He drank hot soup to warm his systems, and when he was ready, went up to his room. There, he changed into his nightwear and plopped down on his bed. He yawned a big yawn before he turned off the lamp sitting next to his high bed.

Everything in the house was dark. His room was one of the darkest. As he was about to fall asleep, he heard something downstairs. It sounded like something was being dragged on the floor. After a bit more of listening carefully, he found that it was chains dragging the floor. Naruto didn't really believe that, thinking that it was just his imagination, until he heard a soft moan.

His eyes widened. He's never heard a moan like that, so he couldn't be imagining that. He listened again. The chains were getting louder. He could hear it going up the stairs and slowly to his door. Mr. Uzumaki pulled his blanket over half his face. He bundled up to get warmer as he suddenly felt a cold chill. Soon the chains stopped...right in front of his door.

Silence.

It was like this for about five more minutes, but then Naruto felt another wave of cold chill. His eyes widened even more until you'd think it would just pop out of the sockets as he saw a blueish hand go through his beedroom door. It was partly clear, like a ghost's.

The hand went in and then the arm. The feet came next, the body, the neck, and at the end was the head.

It was the head of Minato Namikaze.

Naruto Uzumaki nearly fainted.

"Naruto, my son!" the ghost exclaimed. "How are you?"

The son was still trembling in fear. Why was his father here? Is he supposed to look like a ghost? Was this all just a dream? He saw the chains that lay behind him. There were many things attached to it: documents, dirt, staples, and what looked like burned money.

"Wh-who are you?" asked Naruto.

The ghost frowned. "You couldn't have forgotten your own father?"

So it is his father. However, Naruto refused to believe it. "My father is dead! Now who are you?"

The ghost made a "Tsk, tsk" sound as he shook his head and sat down on one of his son's comfy chairs. "I've raised you wrong, my dear son," he said with a sad smile.

"What do you mean?"

"You remember every Christmas that we had?"

Naruto smiled at this one. "Yes. We would always go to the store and you would show me how the customers always flock to our shop! People are so foolish."

Minato sighed. "I really have raised you wrong. Listen Naruto."

The son almost didn't respond, for no one has called him "Naruto" since his father's death, when his father was saying his last few words. The name was now unfamiliar; he's used to being called Mr. Uzumaki now.

"I'm listening."

"You wonder why I'm here, and here it is: I've been roaming around town for some years now, watching every Christmas how you grow. I see that you've sticked with our customs and don't celebrate Christmas the way ordinary people celebrate it."

The son did not say anything.

"You've grown darker, Naruto, and I realized just last year that I did that to you, that I made you forget about Christmas and go on with your life as a businessman. So I'm here to tell you to appreciate Christmas this year."

"What do you mean by that?!"

Minato didn't reply to this. "I've asked three ghosts to come visit you later this night. They'll show you your past, present, and future."

"What good will that be?" Naruto was getting angry.

Minato sighed again at his son's impatience.

While his son was still fuming, the father stood up. "The first one will come 10:00, the next is an hour later, and the last one will be at midnight."

"Why is it always midnight?" Naruto muttered as he watched his ghostly father walk back through the door.

"Remember this, my son: if you don't take this seriously, then when you're in your afterlife, you'll also be doomed to roaming the nights as a ghost with many regrets."

Also?

With that, he walked away, each time the dragging of his chains growing fainter.

"Tch, whatever."

* * *

**I did not revise this one so it may have mistakes and/or sound weird.  
Here we go, the second chapter after a long wait!  
Again, if you have something better than "Tch, whatever" please tell me!  
...Unless you like it...  
The whole time thing, I forgot when the ghosts were supposed to appear, so I made it like that.  
I hope that doesn't damage the story much.**

**Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, Naruto fell asleep, so the beginning is supposed to start after, like, one hour.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or A Christmas Carol**

* * *

"Naruto Uzumaki, please wake up!"

An energetic voice echoed into the sleeping figure of Naruto.

He groaned as he slowly opened one eye to see who the intruder was.

He saw nothing. He closed his eyes again, thinking it was a dream.

"NARUTO WAKE UP!" the voice yelled louder and Naruto jolted upright. He looked around his room, but he still saw nothing. Hesitantly, he laid back down, but not before he heard a kind of gasping sound. It sounded like someone was panting. He searched his room for the voice. "Over here!" A ghostly hand waved in front of Naruto. Surprised, he looked down to the ground.

There was a ghost there...doing push ups. "Who are you?" Naruto asked.

After a few more push ups, the ghost stood up. He was a tall ghost with shining black hair. He had huge eyes and bushy eyebrows. He wore a long robe that covered his feet, though the ghost was floating. It was also giving off a green-ish aura.

"I am Rock Lee, the ghost of the past!" the specter cried proudly. Mr. Uzumaki raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I am Rock Lee, the gho--"

"I get that part!" Naruto said impatiently. "I'm asking why you're here!"

"Did Minato Namikaze not tell you about me? I am to come here at 10:00 pm. And indeed it is 10 pm, Mr. Uzumaki."

Oh yes, his encounter with his father, he had forgotten about that. He fell right to sleep once he left, forgetting everything else.

"So, what is this past thing?" he asked the ghost.

"I am here to show you your Christmas past!" Rock Lee answered.

"And what does that have anything to do with changing me?"

Lee smiled. "Come, I will show you!"

He held out a hand for Naruto to take, which he hesitantly did.

Once the hand was taken, the room became a big blur. Naruto started getting dizzy when everything was swirling around him.

"Do you have a bag? I think I'm going to hurl..."

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was the ceiling of his room.

His room? He wasn't supposed to be in here. He went with that Lee ghost, right?

"Tch, it was a dream after all," he muttered to himself.

"Naruto Uzumaki, look at yourself!" said a voice next to him. Surprised, he looked to his left. Lee was standing on the other side of his bed with tears of happiness in his eyes. "You look so adorable!" he cried.

Confused he looked to his right. His eyes widened when he saw a young boy with spiky blonde hair. He had cold blue eyes and three marks on both cheeks for when he fell off his bike once.

He was the spitting image of Naruto.

In fact, he was Naruto himself when he was just a young lad.

"Is that...me?" the older Naruto asked, stunned.

"Yes; it is you about 20 years ago," replied Lee as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

"When I was six?" this question was meant more for himself than for Lee.

He didn't really remember anything about his past. All he truly remembered were the business talks he and his dad would start up. That was his favorite part of the day.

Naruto watched himself get off his bed and jump down to the floor. He put on his robe and slippers and walked out.

"Come, let's follow him," Lee floated over to the bedroom door.

Naruto was still stunned, but he got off his bed also. That's when he realized that he, too, was floating. He looked at himself. He still wore his nightwear, but he looked clear. Around him was a soft glow. He could still touch himself, but he couldn't touch other things. To confirm all his suspicions, he looked at the mirror.

He was right; he was a ghost himself; he had no image on the mirror.

"Lee, what is this?" he asked, still examining himself. "Why am I a spirit?"

"Of course you can't be solid!" Lee returned. Naruto noticed that he likes talking loud for some reason. "This is the past. The you right now is young. You're not supposed to show. You're supposed to watch. We're invisible: no one can see us or hear us."

With that Lee passed through the door followed by Naruto.

The man looked around his home. It was bright. He didn't remember this. He soon saw his young self walking towards the kitchen. Both specters floated down the sidewalks and followed the young boy.

"Good morning, father," said the boy as he took his seat next to him.

"Ah, Naruto, good morning!" Minato patted his son's head.

"You seem like in a happy mood," Naruto's mouth was filled with eggs, but he watched his father read the newspaper, smiling.

"Huh? Oh, well the newspaper here says that Christmas is here. You know Konoha is known for its great celebration of Christmas? When someone thinks of Konoha, they were most likely thinking of Christmas."

"What does that have to do with you being happy?" Young Naruto suddenly smiled as he had a thought. "Oh I know! Since it's Christmas everyone will be flocking to our store's door! Now I know why you're so happy! Today we're going to be rich!"

Minato laughed at his son's idea. "That's true, Naruto, but I was thinking of something else."

Naruto stopped smiling. "What else is there to think about?"

"Well, I was hoping we could close the shop today and we could do something together for Christmas!"

His son had the most horrified look he'd ever seen. "Close the shop?! No!! Millions of people will be disappointed if we close Foxy Toys! We can't let that happen! We won't be rich if we don't keep up with our work!"

"But, Son, Christmas is a holiday of joy, happiness, and family!"

"No! I don't want to close the store! If celebrating Christmas means that we have to do that, then-then-then... I'll hate Christmas!!"

The ghostly Naruto frowned at this. "Did I really say that?"

"Yes, this is the day when you started hating this lovely holiday," replied Lee with a sad sigh. Both ghosts continued to watch.

"Naruto, don't say such things! Your mother loved Christmas!" Minato scolded.

Naruto stopped; whenever he would unknowingly insult his mother, his father would start to give him the silent treatment. And sometimes, he wouldn't bring him to the store; he just leaves him home.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

Minato heard this, so he lowered his temper and spoke in a more soft tone. "If you don't want to close the store that bad, then we won't. But we are still celebrating Christmas, even if it'll be at Foxy Toys."

"Okay!" young Naruto agreed, and he happily finished his breakfast and got ready to go back to Foxy Toys.

Meanwhile, Spirit Naruto was shocked at the scene. Had he really said all the things he just said? Is that why he hated Christmas? He always wondered why, but he thought it was because of the happy people. All the customers were happy; he was the only one who never was.

As he watched the little boy rush off to his room to change, a cold hand laid on Naruto's shoulder.

"Before my time is up, do you want to see another one of your past?" Lee asked.

Naruto thought. "I'd like to see my father's funeral."

Lee was surprised to hear this, but he obeyed. The room swirled and blurred again.

* * *

It was a dark and gloomy day.

The sky was filled with clouds, threatening thunder and lightning.

Naruto and Lee watched the funeral take place. Ghost Naruto stood next to himself, who was now 20, while Lee stood next to a man who looked strangely a lot like him.

Ghost Naruto recognized the man. He recognized everybody here. They were the first generation staff of Foxy Toys.

The man Lee was standing next to was Might Guy. The others were Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, Choza Akimichi who brought his son Choji, Shibi Aburame, Tsume and Hana Inuzuka who brought Kiba along with them, and twins Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga, who brought Hinata and Neji along.

They were all standing in a perfect square of 4x4 with Naruto in front of all.

Both Narutos watched the coffin containing Minato lower into the earth below. Behind him, Ghost Naruto could hear Lee sobbing.

The rain started to fall, but nobody cared. The owner of one of the greatest shops is dead. Now his son is in charge.

It was a dark and gloomy day, as spirits Lee and Naruto shimmered home.

* * *

**Whoo! Third chapter!  
I had no idea what to do on the funeral part.  
That's how it came out.**

**This chapter contained no NaruHina!  
I'm so sorry! But it is in the next!  
I think...**

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry I take so long to update, readers.  
I'm working on the other story.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or A Christmas Carol**

* * *

He's only had an hour to sleep until the next ghost came.

"Naruto Uzumaki, please wake up."

Naruto kept on snoring.

But instead of the shout the Lee gave after the first time he called, the Uzumaki recieved a hard slap.

He shot up from the bed immediately. "Huh-what? Who's there?"

Standing next to his bed with her hands on her hips and an annoyed face was a female ghost with a pink aura. Almost everything of her was pink: her hair and robe was a light pink, her lips were pink, and there was even a light pink tone to her skin. The only thing that wasn't pink about her was her eyes, which were a sort of emerald green. "Who are you?" Naruto asked, though he had a feeling he knew the answer.

"I am Sakura Haruno, the ghost of the present," the spirit replied with a smile, seemingly not annoyed.

"Okay," Naruto stretched lazily, "and why did you slap me?"

Sakura returned to her scowl. She folded her arms as she answered, "You didn't wake up. And I'm kind of in a hurry. If Lee hasn't told you yet, we ghosts have a time limit. There's so many things in the present that you need to see within that limit. I'm the busiest of the three ghosts that you'll see. So please, get up and we'll go." She hurried with the explanation.

Naruto rubbed his eyes, but then he was suddenly pushed out of bed. "I said hurry up!" He stood up from the floor and rubbed the dust that might have gotten on him off. This ghost was impatient, and since he wasn't in the mood to be obedient, he took his time dusting himself off.

With an exasperated sigh, Sakura snapped her fingers and Naruto felt himself get light. It was that same feeling when he was a ghost with Lee. Confused, Naruto asked, "Why am I a ghost? It's the present."

"We're going to be flying around the neighborhood and no one is supposed to see you."

Naruto was still in an unhappy mood, but he nodded his head in understanding. Sakura looked at the clock on her client's bedroom table: 10:05. She needed to speed this up. She took Naruto's hand and she headed for the window.

Mr. Uzumaki stared in amazement as he phased right through the window and floating high over the snow covered sidewalk. He's experienced a bit of floating with Lee, but not _flying_. Sakura thought for a moment, trying to remember her schedule. "Okay," she finally said. "First up is Shikamaru's house."

"Why Shikamaru's?" the ghost Naruto asked.

"Shikaku was Minato's closest friend, right? So we'll see how his son thinks of you," Sakura was already leading the way. Naruto followed her by flopping onto his belly (while in the air) and stretching his arms out. It was the way Sakura was flying, so he decided to copy her. The only problem was that he didn't know how to start. The pink ghost ahead of him noticed this, so with another sigh she flew back to him, took his hand, and they floated onward.

They weaved carefully through the streets, and then they finally stopped at a small two-story house. "Here we are; let's go in," said Sakura and both went inside. Naruto wondered if the Nara's were still awake at this time.

Both the parents were sleeping, but it seemed their son was not. The house was dark, but he could see it was neat and organized. The specters went upstairs, following the light coming from Shikamaru's room. As they stood at the doorway, Naruto examined his staff member. He's never really seen any of his staff out of the uniform vests they wear, even if it was just a vest.

Shikamaru was sitting at his table with the lamp still on. He was asleep, but near him sat his so-called "Journal" that he would write in every night.

_A grown man still living with his parents,_Naruto thought disgustedly, _how embarrassing._

Sakura walked over to the desk and took the journal that laid beside him. She flipped through the book and at the same time beckoning Naruto over. The man lazily walked over and stood next to her.

When she found what she was looking for, the pink spirit showed Naruto the entry that titled "First Day at Foxy Toys."

"Read," she said shortly. Naruto took the journal from Sakura and read it in the light of the lamp.

_January 12_

_Today was my first day over at Foxy Toys. Dad made me work there because he thought I should be working by now because I'm already 26.  
Like he always says: "First find a job, then a house, then a girlfriend." I wonder who the "lucky" girl will be._

_Dad's retired, so I took over his job as a member at Foxy. It was a few months after his best friend's death, Minato. His son now runs the place.  
I met him today. His name's Naruto. He's an average-looking guy. He smiles a lot too. I can see he's a born businessman just by the gleam of his eye._

_He was really nice today, like when I screwed up with putting up the toys on display today, he didn't get mad. He just quickly helped me put it back in order.  
It might not be so bad working._

Naruto smiled at the entry. "It seems he likes me," he boasted to the female ghost.

Sakura rolled her eyes and flipped to another page. She handed it back to the Uzumaki.

_June 5_

_Well this sucks; Naruto (who now likes being called Mr. Uzumaki) didn't let us have a break for summer.  
You're supposed to have at least a week off of break a month when working, right?  
Mr. Uzumaki gives us a three-day break . . . every two months!_

_What's up with that guy? He seemed nice at first, but now he's a jerk!  
I wanted to quit, but Dad says I have to endure it. He says that Naruto needs more time getting used to._

_This summer he's not giving us any breaks at all because the store is real busy during this season.  
I think this guy is nuts._

Naruto tried to control his patience. Jerk? He's the lazy jerk! He knows what he's like. Shikamaru usually do nothing but groan, complain, and scratch his butt.

Seeing the look of anger on Naruto's face showed Sakura that he actually has feelings, and not just some stoic jerk. (**A/N: Yes, it's supposed to repeat.**)

Before Naruto could rip up the book, though, she took it away and flipped to another section, which seemed like after a long time because the entry was near the end of the journal.

"This is what he wrote tonight," she explained. Mr. Uzumaki snatched it.

_December 24_

_After Christmas, I'm officially quitting Foxy Toys. I can't handle the little kids, the mascot Foxy, and especially Naruto.  
Dad may have said to get used to him, but after 5 years working under him, I don't think I'll ever like him._

Shikamrau must have fallen asleep, because he didn't finish the entry. Naruto didn't want the entry to finish.

Sakura saw the hint of sadness on her client's face, and she knew it was time to go. "Naruto," she put her hand on his arm, "we need to leave. You need to see another person."

"I don't see what's the point," the male ghost replied sadly, "Shikamaru's the most honest person I know, so if he says I'm 'nuts' then everybody else does too."

"You'll be surprised at what one staff member thinks about you."

"One?"

* * *

The two specters stopped in front of a window that belonged to a medium-large, elegant house. It was almost as fancy as Naruto's, but not as dark.

"Where are we?" the blonde man asked, still upset about the journal.

"They call it the 'Hyuga Compound', but it's just basically the house of the Hyuga family," the pink woman answered.

The both phased through and was met with bright lights. All the Christmas decorations were either white or gold. The Christmas tree was white with a gold sash around it and crowned with a gold star. The fire spurted out gold flames, and over that were two stockings that were the same sunshine yellow against the white border of the fireplace. Even all the furniture was white or gold, except the tables, which were either honey or some other light wood (**A/N: I don't know any other light wood, sorry**)**.** Soft Christmas music was playing in the background.

It was too bright for the dark Naruto. He had to shield his eyes because he wasn't accustomed to such a sunny atmosphere.

"If I remember correctly, Hiashi was a quiet man," Naruto commented. "I never expected him to be . . . bright."

"I told you you'd be surprised," Sakura shook her head.

"He's not one of my staff."

"Not about him. C'mon, she's upstairs."

"She?"

Up the stairs they went, Sakura leading Naruto to one of the brighter rooms. As soon as they entered, they were facing a young man with long black hair tied near the end that made a loose ponytail.

"Really, I don't see what _you_ see in him, and you know how well I can see these things."

"You just don't know him that well."

"Neither do you."

"Well . . . I know his pain."

"How?"

"He's lost his mother and father, and I've lost only my mother. But when that dreadful day came, I've been quite upset for a couple of months. If that's how long I recover from only one loss of a parent, think of it for him."

"I've lost both of mine, too."

". . ."

It was Neji Hyuga, the staff member of Naruto's that isn't afraid to talk back, in, of course, a mannerly way.

And Naruto would recognize that soft voice anywhere. It was Hinata Hyuga, the most quiet person he ever knew. Maybe even quieter than the dead.

"Look, Hinata," Neji walked over to his young cousin and sat on her bed, "you should just give up on him. He'll never see you that way. He might never get a wife with that attitude of his." He muttered the last part.

Usually, Neji and Hinata live in another apartment, but for Christmas, Hiashi liked them together. So for Christmas Eve and Day, they would sleep in the big mansion.

"I love these kinds of situations," Sakura sighed happily. "It's like a romance show."

Naruto looked at her with a confused face. "Who are they talking about?" he pointed to the two Hyugas.

"Oh, Naruto," Hinata mumbled, leaning forward and rested her chin on the palm of her hand. Neji patted her back.

"You'll find some other man, I'm sure."

Hinata shook her head. "I don't want to," she said. "I love _him_."

The ghost of Naruto dropped his jaw all the way to the floor and through. Sakura smirked at her client's reaction. "Shocking, right?" Naruto didn't reply but continued to stare wide-eyed at the Hyuga girl. "Y'know, you should really pay attention more to a girl's feelings."

* * *

The pink Sakura ghost had run out of time. It was time for them to return.

"Can't we just stay here a little longer?" the orange Naruto ghost pleaded.

"We've already been her for, like, an hour!" Sakura said, exasperated.

After Hinata's confession, she already decided to leave, but her client insisted on staying. He said he wanted to stay and study Hinata, which was weird. For the next 30 minutes, Naruto sat beside her on her bed, watching her every move. Neji had already left on the first 15. Hinata continued to stay in the same position, probably thinking or daydreaming. She stood up once and paced around her room. After 10 minutes or so, she sat back down. Already in her nightgown, she decided to sleep. She turned out her lights and put the covers around her in a snug position. Before she fully slept, though, Naruto heard her mumble, "I wonder if he's opened my present."

With that statement, Naruto, again, felt guilty for ignoring the shy girl for years. Sakura got bored of watching the two and went downstairs to check the whole house. When she returned after 35 minutes of exploring, Naruto was still in the same exact poise, except this time he was stroking Hinata's cheek. She even thought she saw a small tear.

After a few seconds, she felt herself grow weak. That was a sign that meant she'd disappear forever along with her client if she doesn't return immediately.

"Please, just a few more minutes!" begged the man.

"NO!" and with that she took Naruto's hand without hesitation and sped through the night sky until they reached his mansion.

Once there, they were greeted with a dark, gloomy ghost.

* * *

**This one was long. I'm not satisfied with the beginning, but the rest was okay with me!  
I think this is the longest chapter I've ever done!  
Hooray for me!**

**Please review!**

**Oh wait, chapter 1 is still longer.**


	5. Chapter 5

**You guessed Sasuke as the next ghost. Maybe . . .  
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and/or the Christmas Carol. Ha!**

**Edit: nobody noticed that Sasuke and Konohamaru said "ghost of the past?" I just noticed today!  
I changed it, though.**

* * *

"Naruto Uzumaki, you're awake!"

The ghost was dark, gloomy, and a little taller than her, just like she remembered the last time they met. However, the voice wasn't as deep as it was in the beginning. Naruto peeked from behind Sakura to observe the third ghost.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked.

The ghost cleared his throat. "I am the ghost of the future!" The spirit held up its arms.

The ghost was wearing a long robe, just like the rest of the ghosts that Naruto met, but there was a new addition to this one: a hood. It covered the entire face of the ghost's in shadows, so he couldn't see who it was. This specter was wearing a gray robe and had a weak gray aurora. Just like the hood, the sleeves covered the hands also. Altogether, this ghost seemed the most mysterious to Naruto.

Sakura was confused;the ghost was what she remembered he looked like, but he didn't sound right. Suddenly, though, the ghost of the future started wobbling. It was teetering to the left, and then to the right. Finally, the whole thing fell down, revealing three kids. Sakura gasped. It was them again. "Konohamaru, Moegi, Udan! What are you doing?" she cried. Ghost Konohamaru rubbed his aching head before answering.

"He said we could fill him in!" Konohamaru said.

"_He? _As in he let you?" Sakura asked. The three kids nodded. Then the air next to them swirled around. It became blurry, and then there was smoke. Naruto was afraid his room would burn. But instead of fire appearing, there was the same hooded robe ghost. His aura was stronger than that of the little kids.

"I am Sasuke Uchiha, the ghost of the future," the ghost said. This version of the ghost of the future seemed scarier than the one Konohamaru and his team created.

"Sasuke what's wrong with you, sending these kids to do your job!" Sakura scolded. "You know it's dangerous!"

"I didn't tell them to go."

The pink specter dropped her mouth. Now with evil in her eyes, she slowly turned her heads to the now terrified children. Naruto had never seen such demonic eyes.

"Naruto," Sasuke turned to the client, "I think we should leave now." Naruto didn't hesitate to nod. He heard fingers snapping and the scene of the horrified kids and the monstrous Sakura disappeared. He was still in his room, but it was much darker and gloomier.

"Where are we?" he asked. The ghost of the past, with his hood still on, floated over to him.

"We are in your future," he answered.

"No way," Naruto breathed.

"This is just what your house will look like in twenty years."

"Twenty years?" Naruto cried. "What are we doing so early in the future?"

"Because you don't have a future after twenty years."

Naruto gulped. No future? Would that mean that's he's . . . dead? "So, where am I?"

Sasuke stood still for a moment. Soon, though, he headed towards the window. "Follow me."

Both the specters phased through the glass wall and floated over the roofs of the houses. Everything was very quiet. "Wait a minute!" Naruto observed. He floated towards a big building that was two stories high. Most of it was glass, which was unfortunate because it was smashed to pieces. Bits of glass were everywhere, meaning that the store must've been robbed. Naruto looked for the sign that would prove his suspicions. There, lying underneath the knocked down glass doors was a big board. An orange fox was still smiling, coming out of the letter "F."

"What happened to Foxy Toys?" Naruto gasped. Sasuke floated to him once again.

"As soon as you died, robbers came and thrashed the place. You know your burial is starting right now?"

The owner of Foxy Toys wasn't listening at first. "What happened to all my sta-? Wait, my BURIAL?"

"If we go there now we might still have enough time to see-"

Naruto took Sasuke's arm rather harshly. "Take me there now," he commanded angrily.

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki was being lowered into the ground next to the place where his father was buried. A single white rose was placed carefully on top of his black coffin.

"Being buried on Christmas Eve. That's karma for you."

"Neji . . . be quiet."

Watching the burial were two people, besides ghosts Naruto and Sasuke. They were the two Hyugas: Neji and Hinata.

"That's it? Two visitors?" Naruto was disappointed, but at the same time he was delighted to see Hinata had come to see his final moments.

"None of your other staff memebers wanted-" Sasuke watched his client float over to the woman who had long dark blue hair. Since he was gone, there was no point in finishing the sentence.

Naruto stood in front of 45-year-old Hinata. His heart started to hurt at what he saw. Hinata's pale lavender eyes were red from days of crying. There were bags under them, too, meaning she hasn't slept for a while. Her skin wasn't fair anymore, but more pale and white, and wrinkles were obvious in some places. You could tell she's been neglecting her own appearances, because even though her hair was combed today, strands of it were floating off. There were split ends at the bottom, and her hair wasn't as shiny as usual. Her lips were set in a permanent frown and her hands lay limply on the side. She was a mess.

Neji on the other hand was formal and gentleman-like as he always looked. His eyes were filled with sadness, but it was more towards his cousin. His hands were behind his back as he stood up straight. Men always need to look brave at these types of events. Naruto was so focused on these two that he didn't notice Sasuke floating over to him, so he was terribly surprised when he heard him say, "You did this to yourself."

Confused, Naruto asked him what he meant. "You made your future like this. If you keep up the attitude that you have now, this is how your life will end. Do you like it?" Naruto sadly shook his head, but Sasuke just nodded. "Let's go five more years, and then we'll return." With that he snapped his fingers.

* * *

They were at a graveyard, the full moon shining high above. The wind was howling but that doesn't bother you when it will just pass through you. It's one of the advantages of being a ghost. Another advantage is the ability to not be seen. It came in handy when both specters saw the same woman at the burial walking towards a tombstone. They followed her, and there was where the blond ghost saw his own name engraved on the tablet.

"_Mr. Naruto Uzumaki  
Owner of Foxy Toys  
October 10 to December 24_

_Son of Minato Namikaze  
May he rest in peace._" (**A/N: I don't know what goes on a tombstone, sorry.**)

Hinata knelt down at the stone tablet with a vase of flowers in her hands. She placed them in front of it and kissed the tombstone. At the same time, Naruto thought he felt something soft and warm gently touch his lips.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Uzumaki," Hinata whispered. She then took out a box from a bag that she was carrying. It was small and was neatly wrapped with blue wrapper covered in snowflakes. There were a few tears here and there and it was faded, too. Naruto recognized that box immediately.

"Um, I found this in your room, after walking through it. It was inside a drawer at your bedside table. It's the present I gave you when we were younger. I . . . guess you didn't have time to open it . . ."

Naruto felt like stabbing his heart when he heard the last sentence. It was so full of sadness. He made a mental note to open that as soon as he comes home. He watched Hinata say a prayer, stand up, and then leave, only looking back when she was at the gate. Once she left, Naruto and Sasuke floated to in front of the tombstone. Sasuke broke the silence first. "She's been doing this every Christmas Eve for the past five years. You know, visiting you," he said. Naruto remained silent. Since Sasuke knew that it was impolite, he took off his hood. On the corner of his eye the Uzumaki saw raven black hair shaped a bit like his spiky hair, but it seemed neater. He saw the same color eyes looking forlornly at his gravestone.

"Why are _you_ sad?" he asked.

With a deep sigh, Sasuke replied, "Because I was in the same situation as you."

"What?" Naruto was taken completely off guard.

"Mm-hm. The three ghosts you just saw, we all had some diffucult past. For me, I used to be a successful eye doctor, but I've never really cared about my customers. When they're in pain, I just tell them to be quiet and stay still. Once I almost made a man blind. My staff hated the way I acted, so one by one they quit. The only one who stayed . . . was Sakura."

"SAKURA?"

"After realizing I only had one staff member left, I closed my store and gave Sakura the money she deserved. It was then that she told me she loved me, but I rejected her. Now I was being careless in the way I rejected her. I told her I didn't need a woman to look after me and I didn't need a girlfriend to waste my time. And then I left. The day after, I found out she commited suicide. Hearing this, I killed myself too."

Naruto was just crouching there with his mouth gaping open. Suicide? Would he do that too? Gulping down his fear, he changed the subject of his mind by asked about Lee.

"Lee used to be a couch potato. He always sat in front of the TV watching some silly cartoon; never did anything but sit and watch and eat. When one of his relatives came over, they were appalled at what state he was in. So they made him exercise. Whenever they weren't looking, though, he would stop. He was too lazy to do anything."

"Wait that's wrong. The first time I met Lee he was doing push ups! And he was thing!"

"You didn't let me finish! As I was saying he was too lazy. One day he and the relative-"

"Who's the relative?"

"Don't interrupt me! I don't know, he just said relative! Anyway he and the relative were having a jog around the neighborhood. Lee was always behind him, and since he was, he would secretly just walk. Not knowing this, his relative crossed a road, and right in the middle he stopped. He finally realized he wasn't being followed. So he waited on Lee."

"That's dumb, standing in the middle of the road."

"_Anyway,_ he waited on Lee. Lee, however, refused to go any faster. But then he saw a car with a drunken man driving. He tried to warn his relative, but he was too far away. He used all his strength to run to him, but it was too late. I think you know what happened next. Ever since that day, Lee had been practicing exercising. When he died, he still continued to exercise.

Naruto sighed. "Your pasts aren't really that tragic, you know? You and Sakura committed suicide while Lee was driven by eternal guilt." He shook his head as if he was sorry for them.

"Shut up, loser, it's time to go," Sasuke stood up and put his hood back on.

"What'd you call me?"

He snapped his fingers.

* * *

"You're finally here!" Sakura cried as soon as they shimmered into appearance in Naruto's room. "What took you guys so long?"

"We had a little chat," Sasuke replied.

"Psst, Sasuke, did you and Sakura make up yet?" Naruto whispered to the gray ghost next to him. The specter stood still. Naruto took that as a no. "Well you need to if you want to get the girl!"

"What about you? You ignored a girl who loved you and her present, for 25 years!" Sasuke whispered back.

Naruto was once again stabbed with guilt, remembering what Hinata said about the present.

"Sasuke, we need to go now, our time is up," Sakura interrupted, even though she had no clue what they were talking about.

"What? You've been here for two hours?"

Sakura smiled slyly. "I got an extension."

"How can you get that?" Naruto asked after seeing the look of surprise on his gray ghost's face. He didn't know how the spirit world worked, but he guessed an extension of time was rare.

"Konohamaru is the grandson of the headmaster ghost in our world. All I needed to do was tell him all about what Konohamaru did and _voila_!" Naruto nodded at this information.

Sasuke took Sakura's hand. "Let's go. I . . . have something to tell you when we get home . . ." Sakura blushed, but before Sasuke could take them home, she turned to Naruto.

"Oh, Naruto! Did you learn anything from us three ghosts?" she asked.

Naruto smiled. "A lot, thanks!" He was happier than he had ever been. Sakura smiled too, and then they disappeared, leaving his room to darkness.

Naruto couldn't help but grin as he got into his bed. From the past, he learned of how cruel he was as a little boy. From the present, he learned he was still being cruel. And he found a woman who he'd been ignoring. From the future, he learned that he would die an early age if he didn't change his ways.

Before closing his eyes, he remembered seeing the small box that was torn and faded. He quickly reopened them. He scrambled to get up and looked toward his bedside table. Instead of being inside a drawer, it was sitting on top. He gently took it into his hands and admired how neatly wrapped it was. The tag on it said: "To: Mr. Uzumaki From: Hinata Hyuga I hope you like my present." He noticed the also perfectly neat handwriting.

Now Naruto was wondering how to open the present without damaging it. He quickly found the tape after turning on his bedside lamp. He took it off and all the others. Now that the box was unwrapped, it revealed a white box. Naruto was tempted to shake it, but it was heavy, so he decided it must be fragile. He opened the top and peeked inside. He gasped and widened his eyes as he took it out.

It was a snow globe. Inside there was a big Christmas tree surrounded by circling children holding hands. He looked at the bottom and found a switch. After turning it on, he flipped the globe over, which made the snow start to fall, which was the perfect effect. The switch had turned on the lights of the tree, which was twinkling green, red, and yellow, with a yellow star on top. The children started moving around in their fixed circle, moving along the tune of a slow "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

"This must have cost a fortune!" Naruto whispered. He soon smiled as he continued to admire Hinata's gift. After a few more minutes, though, he turned it off and went to sleep with a smile on his lips. He needed to sleep early if he was going to work early. He's going to have a surprise for his staff.

* * *

**You guessed right!  
I was actually proud of this chapter, except the beginning.  
It wasn't just because it was long, but also because I surprised myself with the whole ghost past thing.  
It just popped into my head while I was making it, so I didn't plan on it, which means it was completely done while I was typing.**

**Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Well, would you look at that?  
I actually did get to the end of this story!  
Disclaimer: Last time, I don't own Naruto or A Christmas Carol**

* * *

Hinata and Neji met up with Tenten along the way to work, like they always do. They greeted each other a very warm Merry Christmas and headed off to work. When they were near Foxy Toys, they saw the staff standing out side.

"What's going on?" Neji asked.

"The sign here says the store's closed for today, but staff are to report here 8:00am," Shikamaru said.

"That's an hour later than when we usually start working!" Kiba exclaimed.

The staff was here early; all of them had arrived 7, because Mr. Uzumaki hates tardy people. Now they weren't allowed into the building for another one and a half hours.

"Maybe we should go home?" Choji suggessted. He had eaten a big breakfast, but he was still hungry.

Inside, Naruto had just finished the last of the things he was putting up. He looked at his watch and saw that it was still 6:30. He had finished earlier than he expected. He saw that the first people of his staff were already at the door. All the lights were closed inside, so they couldn't really see what was inside. Good, Naruto wanted it that way. For the next 30 minutes he went around checking to make sure everything was all right and ready. The whole time he kept feeling the square lump in his pocket.

When he checked his watch again, it was only 7, but the whole gang was here, so he decided to let them in. He walked quickly over to the door with a big grin on his face. He took out the keys, and unlocked the huge glass doors. He swung it open to a group of surprised adults in the cold snow.

The Foxy Toys staff were astonished at what their boss was wearing. He had on a white suit with red trimmings. This suit was never seen worn by any of them, because their boss would always wear something dark, especially at Christmas. He even had on a Santa hat and a huge grin. Only smirks were the closest thing Mr. Uzumaki could do as a smile, but now he was hear with a full big grin.

"Surprise!" he shouted cheerfully, his voice echoing into the streets behind them. When no one replied, Naruto frowned. "What's wrong?"

The staff started murmuring to each other. Finally one of them spoke up. "Um, are you all right, Mr. Uzumaki?" Sai asked.

"What are you talking about; I'm perfectly fine!" Naruto replied, throwing his arms into the air. "Now why don't you come inside?!" He waved his hands to indicate to follow him. Looking at each other once more, the staff followed. As they went inside, the lights turned on.

Inside was a huge Christmas tree decorated with everything. Most of them were toys from the store. The whole interior was decorated from toys. The staff stood there, wide-eyed.

"Sorry, but I couldn't find decorations, so I just improvised," Naruto said. He was scratching the back of his head, as if he was embarrassed.

"How could you improvise _that_?" Ino pointed at the giant tree in the middle with its top almost touching the ceiling. "And how did you get it in through the door?"

"Actually, I've had this tree for a long time; I just never used it," the boss explained. When he woke up that morning, the first thing he thought of was a tree, but he didn't have any. However, he remembered that his father had once bought a huge tree so that one Christmas they could put it outside their mansion. It hasn't been used for over 10 years, so when he unpacked it from the box it was really creaky.

The rails of the second floor had scarves Naruto once got as a present. It was a whole box of scarves given to him by his godfather Jiraiya. He had never found a use for them, but now they came in handy. The stores were almost fully empty. Looking at the empty places, Naruto had remebered something. He looked around at his staff members, who were finally taking it in and talking excitedly to each other.

"Hey, I almost forgot. I have some food in my office. Shikamaru, Shino, come help me," Naruto said. Once again, the staff were surprised. They had never seen their boss in this type of attitude before! It was like he was a whole new person!

Unnoticed but floating about, the ghosts of the past, present, and future watched Naruto hand out cupcakes and tissues and plates. They had watched him all morning, all three of them impressed by how quickly he worked. Lee was sobbing at the sight of his new positive change.

"Oh this is wonderful!" he cried as he tried to wipe away the tears. "Naruto Uzumaki has learned the true meaning of Christmas!" At this, he bawled some more.

"The loser," Sasuke smiled.

"What did you just call him?!" Sakura softly slapped Sasuke's arm.

"Ow, okay sorry," he apologized. Sakura couldn't stay mad at him forever, so she wrapped her arms around one of his. To the living people, he may be intangible, but in Sakura's heart (and to the ghosts) he's as solid as rock.

"I love a happy ending," she sighed.

After he finished passing the food, he had one more thing for them. Again, he didn't have time to get the right things, but he improvised. He clapped his hands to get attention, although he was happy all of them were chatting and having a good time. "I have one more thing for you guys," he shouted. "Gifts and presents for you all!"

The staff muttered among themselves. Mr. Uzumaki got them gifts?! He's not being his own self right now!

"Hinata, Tenten, I'll need your help passing them out," he winked at the two girls. They followed him to the gift shop. The gift shop was where Naruto got all his presents. He didn't have time to buy some, so he used the ones in here. There were good things to hand out in the gift shop, so it was okay. He had either just put a bow on top of the object, or he wrapped it in the wrapping paper that they were selling at Foxy Toys. He had a marker to put the names on. He handed the present one by one to Hinata or Tenten and the girls looked for the name. When they found it, they handed it out.

"Tenten, this one's yours!" Hinata said. She gave ornament-wrapper decorated box to her friend. That was the last present.

"Thanks. And thank you, Mr. Uzumaki!" she cried. She went outside to see what the others had gotten. Neji had a warm wool hat. He liked it because sometimes his long hair wasn't enough to cover the cold. Tenten had snowboard goggles. Naruto knew she had a snowboard and that she loved snowboarding in her free time. Shikamaru got a bobblehead Santa. It was something to lighten his mood. Ino got a shirt from the gift shop that said "I'm a Sugar-Babe" and all around it were candy canes and lollipops. Choji was fairly happy with his because he got a mug. Instead of coffee, though, he would secretly put in snacks. Kiba got a chew toy for his dog. Even though it wasn't really for him, he was still pleased as he loved Akamaru very much and didn't care about him. Shino got a plastic rectangular container. Naruto knew he loved bugs a lot, so maybe the container will help if he ever started a collection. Sai got an art set, which made him happy. Even if they were just a kid paint and paper set, he couldn't wait to try it.

The only one who didn't get a present . . . was Hinata. As soon as she handed out Tenten's gift, Mr. Uzumaki announced to them that that was the last one. Hinata was somewhat disappointed, but she told herself that Naruto's new view of Christmas was just as good as three hundred of the best gifts. She smiled and watched her work mates open presents and chat wildly, like some kids during Christmas morning. She was about to walk over to Tenten when someone grabbed her by the wrist. She turned around to see Naruto with a nervous smile.

"Where's your present?" he asked playfully.

"Oh, I don't need one," Hinata returned politely. Naruto smiled wider.

"Oh I forgot! It's with me!" He laughed. He had time to go out and buy this. He went to the best store in town for this. When he saw they weren't open yet, he knocked. And as soon as the manager had seen him standing outside, he ran to get the door. Minato and Naruto were very honored in this city of Konoha.

"No really, Mr. Uzumaki. You didn't need to get me one," Hinata urged.

"Too late, I already got it. I hope you say yes, Hinata." Out from his white pocket, Naruto took out a velvet dark red box that has a lid that snaps open. Hinata gasped at the sight of it. From the corner of her eye, Ino caught a movement from Naruto. She turned just in time to see Mr. Uzumaki pull out a small velvet container. She widened her eyes.

"Tenten," she hissed at the girl next to her. When she finally turned, she pointed at the two people still inside the gift shop, but partially hidden in the shadows. Sakura also looked to where the blond girl was pointing at. She saw Naruto with something soft in his hands. She squealed in glee when she figured it out. She swooped down to get a closer look. Ino and Tenten also sneaked closer. The men never noticed, too engrossed in their own conversations.

Hinata's eyes widened even larger as she watched her boss slowly kneel to the ground with the velvet box between his two hands, his right hand on top. He slowly opened it to reveal a gold ring with a shining diamond on top. Even though it was simple, it still cost a fortune, for the diamond was made from the purest mineral. The poor Hyuga girl nearly fainted as she heard the next words. By now, the two girls and one ghost girl had squealed in delight, making the men finally turn their heads. They saw their boss kneeling at the ground and a near-to-death Hinata standing still as a statue. They heard the words too.

"Hinata Hyuga, will you marry me?" Naruto grinned.

* * *

**Sorry to say guys, but that is the ending!  
I wrote this late at night, so not really in the mood.  
If you don't like it, you could make your own.  
Or if you want to continue it from there, be my guest!**

**Please review!**


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